Australian Teak Tree

Australian Teak (Flindersia australis), known to most growers as Crows Ash, is one of the best shade trees for a suburban block. In rainforest it reaches 30m, but as a garden or street tree it settles at around 12m tall and 8m wide, with glossy compound leaves on a clean straight trunk. It flowers cream to white in spring, then sets woody star shaped seed capsules. Established trees handle drought, heat, humidity and wind.

Why you'll love it

• Real shade within a decade. Broad and dense enough to cool a lawn, a driveway or a west facing wall, and it holds its leaves year round.
• A tough, self reliant native. Drought tolerant, wind tolerant and comfortable in humidity, so a wet summer and a dry autumn suit it equally.
• Presence without work. Dark glossy foliage, a straight trunk and attractive flaking bark, with no pruning programme to maintain.
• Street tree pedigree and habitat value. Councils across northern and eastern Australia plant it for compacted soil and reflected heat, and the flowers feed insects and birds.

Where it works best

Shade over lawn and paving. A single tree 6m to 8m from the house shades a west facing wall within eight to ten years without threatening footings.

Driveways and avenues. Plant 8m apart for a matched row; closer spacing draws the trees up narrow rather than letting each canopy widen.

Windbreaks and rural boundaries. On acreage it makes a fine upper storey in a mixed shelter belt, filtering wind rather than blocking it.

Growing Australian Teak in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens: Queensland, coastal New South Wales, the Top End and warmer parts of Western Australia. Light frost only, so cold tablelands and inland southern districts are outside its range.

Soil. Any soil type, clay included, provided water does not sit around the crown. Dig the hole twice the width of the pot and mulch 75mm deep out to the drip line, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week for the first two summers, then only in dry spells. A native fertiliser each spring for the first few years speeds establishment; mature trees need none.

Pruning. Formative only. Remove competing leaders while the tree is young so it builds one strong trunk, then lift the lower branches as it gains height.

What to expect when it arrives

Sizes run from tube and 200mm packs of six through 300mm to 45L, 100L, 200L and 400L advanced stock. Tubes and 200mm packs suit revegetation, shelter belts and any job planted in numbers, and catch up quickly. The 45L and 100L sizes suit a single garden tree, while 200L and 400L trees arrive with real height and calliper.

Expect a quiet first season, then half a metre to a metre a year in warm conditions. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full Australian native tree range
• Compare shade trees by mature size
• Plant a native garden underneath it
• Preparing the ground before you plant a tree

Common questions

How big will it really get in a garden?

Around 12m tall and 8m wide over a couple of decades. The 30m figure quoted for the species applies to closed rainforest, not to open garden planting.

How far from the house should I plant it?

At least 6m, and further if you can, so the mature canopy has room and gutters stay clear. Keep it away from courtyards and narrow side passages.

Is it evergreen?

Effectively yes in warm climates. It can shed some leaves briefly in a dry winter, but it does not go bare like a deciduous tree.

Does it drop a lot of mess?

Less than most large trees. The woody capsules are worth raking off lawn and paving, and leaf drop is light.